The present invention relates to a circuit breaker.
Conventional circuit breakers disconnect an electric grid or network, a partial network or an electric line by automatically opening break contacts in the event of increased current flow in the electric network or electric line. Other types of conventional circuit breakers disconnect a network, a partial network or an electric line by automatically opening break contacts if a residual current is present.
These conventional circuit breakers disadvantageously may fail to detect other sources of errors in electric networks or lines, besides those described above, which can represent a potential hazard for installations and living beings, especially by causing a fire, and which cannot be safely detected by the aforedescribed conventional circuit breakers, because an increased current flow or a residual current may not occur. The aforedescribed conventional circuit breakers are not capable of recognizing faults which do not cause increased current flow in a line or a residual current, although such faults can still lead to a fire in or near an electric network.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a circuit breaker of the aforedescribed type which obviates the aforementioned disadvantages and reduces the likelihood of a fire caused by faults in electric networks.